It's that time of the year when some of us would embark on
journeys to their towns and villages of origins. For those that remain in
cities like Lagos they bask in the respite from the madness of Lagos traffic,
as the city gets a little less densely populated. For both sets of people;
those that remain in the big city and those bound for their origins, visiting
family and friends is sure to be one of the seasons highlights. Of course this
is other than the strenuous activity of food processing that the mouth and
digestive organs will have to endure.
Unlike the western world we won't be building snowmen or riding
sledges as seen in the western movies we watch. Rather we would enjoy the
harmattan caused by the Sahara desert winds. The people in the north would
enjoy it more especially if they ride on a motor bike, then they get to become
the Nigerian version of a snowman or harmattan man if that suits you better. So
if you are not looking to travel out of the country you now know where you
could go to find walking snow men, that's definitely not something you will
find abroad.
Also for both sets people (the travelers and the stay behind
city dwellers) at the center of this season's festivities, merriment and
visitations is the spirit of giving. The spirit of giving as portrayed in the
gift of Christ's birth to us from God, which is the reason for the season.
Giving as it relates to putting smiles on the faces of people who have not had
much to smile about during the course of the year. Just to clarify though I'm not
referring to giving in terms of responding to the calls for 'anything for the
boys'. Neither am I referring to the discount gift shopping that you might have
done for yourself on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Giving
here as it concerns those that cannot help themselves, people in so sad a
situation that both the forces of good and bad seem to have aligned against
them. Giving to help them see hope and have something to be grateful for.
However, like it is said about a funeral that the good things
about people are said after they have passed on. Why wait for the end of the
year, till this season, before showing them how loved and cherished they are.
Christ our role model did not restrict his giving to a season. Even when
challenged about healing someone on the Sabbath which was seen as against the
law, he refused to let it serve as a deterrent to giving someone a healing.
Orphanages which are usually at the center of most of this giving, receive more
than needed in this season but throughout most the year hardly get visits that
could have saved a life.
Giving refers to more than just the gift of food which will
surely keep people from dying of hunger or malnourishment. Or clothes that certainly
lets the receiver have something that keeps the cold out but also allows them
to look good. Giving is also empowering someone with an education via a
scholarship which doesn't necessary mean that you have to pay every dime of the
person's fees but you could pay a percentage based on what you have available.
You could also contribute to someone's skills acquisition or help another
person start a business by contributing your intellectual prowess that you get
paid for during your 8 to 5 or for your own business.
So if and when you go gifting this season inquire as to how you
can give a helping hand during the course of the year ahead. So that the
smiles, hopes and joys remain on those faces beyond this season and into the
year ahead, for their lives to evolve beyond the present situation in which
they find themselves.
Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
P.S: You can start your gifting by sharing this with a friend.
No comments:
Post a Comment